Apparatus for and method of printing materials



June 2, 1925.

W. F. ROEHLEN APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF PRINTING MATERIALS lilllllllulflllllllill MIIIIIIIIIH MW 255 ZASATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES 'l,'540,287 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. ROEHLEN, 0F nocnnsrnn, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS non AND METHOD or PRINTING MATERIALS.

Application filed January 17, 1923.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. ROEHLEN',

a citizen of the United States, residing at.

Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for and Methods of Printing Materials; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference numerals'marked thereon.

This invention relates to apparatus for and methods of marking or printing materials and more particularly for producing figure or pattern effects on cloth, leather and other fabrics and materials. One object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and efficient apparatus and method for producing lines, figures, designs and the like on plain or pile cloth and other materials. Another object is to provide an advantageous method for accomplishing the above results by a continuous andeflicient form of printing operation comprising the simultaneous application of heat to the material to facilitate the penetration and setting of the ink or other printing medium therein. Still a furtherobject is to provide a simple and practical apparatus for carrying out such a method rapidly and efficiently with a minimum of labor. To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will hereinafter be more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation from front to rear of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a pile fabric printed with the apparatus; and

Fi ure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 33 in Figure 2.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The present invention comprises a method for printing or simultaneously printing and goifering material by an efficient printing operation comprising the heating of the material during the impression to cause the ink or other printing medium to thoroughly penetrate and become quickly set in the ma.- terial, and also for accomplishing this re- Serial No. 613,147.

sult in a progressive or continuous manner, as, for example, by the employment of a continuously rotating printing roller or cylinder thereby eliminating the difiieulty, labor and unsatisfactory results attendant upon the piecing together or registering of success ve partial impressions as heretofore practlced. The invention comprises also an advantageous apparatus for carrying out this method which latter is best explained in connection with the following description of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings there is shown 1n Figure 1 one of a pair of spaced side standards 5, connected by tie rods 6 and forming the main frame of the machine. ,At 7 on each standard is a bracket supportmg a bearing 8 and the spaced bearings 8 rotatably support the end trunnions of a hollow printing roller 9 preferably dipping as shown into a reservoir or pot 10 containing ink or other coloring or printing medium. v

The printing roller 9 preferably has its surface formed to represent lines, figures or a pattern to be impressed on the work as exemplified in Figure 2, and this is accomplished in the present instance by engraving such pattern in intaglio on the roller surface, although it is to be understood that other forms of impression surface may be employed. At 11 is a doctor bearing upon the roller surface where it emerges from the ink for removing the ink from the relief portions of the roller surface corresponding to portions such as 13 of the pattern, Figure 2, but leaving the ink in the depressed portions of the surface corresponding to the elements 1 1 of the pattern shown in Figure 2. The printing roller is preferably provided with means for positively rotating the same, as, for example, the pulley 15. The roller also has conducting means or pipes 16 communicating-at its ends with its interior, as, for example, through the hollow form of trunnion well known in the art for this purpose, and a continuous flow of a cooling medium such as Water is maintained by any suitable means through the pipes 16 and roller for maintaining the latter in a relatively cool state for a purpose which more fully appears hereafter.

The material to be printed is illustrated in the present instance as a web 17 of plush, velvet or other pile cloth which is fed in the direction indicated by the arrow with its face or pile side in contact witlrthe printing roller 9, the web being supplied from a roll 18 rotatably supported by a bracket 19 at the rear of the machine over guide rolls 20 and to a winding up roller 21 carried by a bracket 22 in front of the machine-and rotated by any suitable means (not shown).

A platen means is provided for engagement with the back of the material for pressingthe face or pile side thereof into contact with the printing roller and also for heating the material while in contact with the printing roller to facilitate the penetration of the ink or other coloring or printing medium into the material an d the setting of such medium. This platen means may obviously have various forms being preferably llOWBVGI, as in the present instance, a hollow roller 23 havin trunnions journalled respectively in bearings 24 adjustable vertically on guide-ways 25 on the side standards. These bearings are preferably supported by threaded spindles 26 engaged in correspondingly threaded bores in heads 27 circumferentially grooved as at 28 and provided with adjusting handwheels 29 for rotating the same. Heads 27 are supported by engagement with the grooves 28 thereof of the end 30 of a lever 31 pivoted on the upper cross-rod 6 and it is apparentthat by rotating hand Wheel 29 the corresponding its opposite end 34 with a lever '35 -fulcrumed on one of the cross rods 6, having a long arm extending forwardly of the machine and provided with adjustable weight means 36. It is apparent from this construction that the weight means 36 serve to press the platen roller against the mate'- rial at the portion of contact of the latter with the printing roller, the rotation of which serves to feed the web of material between itself and the platen roll 23 which is thus frictionally driven. The platen roller may however ,be positively driven if so desired. 1 1

The platen roller is heated for the purpose specified preferably by conducting means such as pipes 37 communicating through hollow trunnions of the platen roller with its interior for supplying a continuous flow of a suitable heating medium as for example hot water or steam, By regulating the supply of heating medium the temperature of the platen may be controlled and the desired degree of heat thus applied to the material during the contact of the latter with the printing roller. Such application of heat would tend to also heat the printing roller and thus injuriously provision of the means described for maintaining the printing roller at the desired degree of coolness so that, while the desired heating effect is obtained in the material and 'inthe'ink absorbed thereby, the printing roller is nevertheless n'iaintained at the desired etiicicnt printing temperature.

the printing roller,.and the degree of pressure of the platen roller thereagainst, a gofi'ering operation may obviously be accomplished simultaneously with the printing, as well understoodlin the art, and particularly at the portions of the. material impressed between the platenand'the edges of the engraved depressions which tend to break and flatten the pile. Where the ink is applied the pileis-permanently laid in the manner indicated at 38, Figure 3. The printing and g'oftering effects may of course be varied by employing a platen roller'engravedto' correspond or mate with the engraving of the printing roller if so desired and the degree of gofl'ering effect may obviously thus .be increased.

As apparent from the above description suitable selection of the depth and character of.tl1e engraved depressions in the. material isprinted by a progressive or continuous method comprising the simultaneous application of heat to thematerial without however 2 heating the printing roller or th6 ink while carried thereby. The ink is carried in the depressions of the printing roller which deliver it to the material at portions thereof not subjected to pressure because of the depressions in the {printing surface. The ink is thus allowed to penetrate the material at an incompressed portion of the latter which is also subjected to the favorable action ofheat' from' the 'platen roll under which thorough penetration of the material and quick setting of-the ink is accomplished. NVhile the method has been specifically "described in connection with a pile fabric it is not by any means limited to this class of work but may be also be employed: for

printing and. goffering plain cloth and, other materials. The method is obviously practical and.v efficient in character and capable of being accomplished in a continuous and rapid manner yielding a better quality of work than can be economically produced by methods involving the piecing together or registering of successive partial impressions as in methods heretofore practiced. The method may be carried out. by simple, practical and economical apparatus such as'described with a minimum of labor. The -combined printing and gotfering, particularly of a pile fabric affords results of a highly artistic and pleasing character.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a printing roller, devices for applying a printing medium there to, means for cooling said roller, a platen for the opposite side of a material to be printed, and heating means for said platen.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an engraved printing roller, inking means therefor, means for conducting heat from said printing roller to maintain the same relatively cool, a platen roller for the opposite side of amaterial to be printed, and means for supplying heat to said platen roller to draw and set the ink in the material.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a rotary engraved hollow printing roller, devices for applying ink thereto, means for removing ink from relieved portions thereof forming a design, conducting means for supplying a continuous flow of a cooling medium through said printing roller, a hollow rotary platen roller for the back of a material to be printed on its face by said printing roller, and conducting means for supplying a continuous flow of a heating medium through said platen roller.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an engraved roller adapted for printing and gofi'ering one side of a material, devices for applying a printing medium to intaglio portions of said roller exclusively, a platen roller adapted to press the material from its opposite side into printing and gotfering contact with said engraved roller, and means for heating said platen roller.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an engraved hollow roller adapted for printing and goffering the pile side of a material, devices for applying a printing medium to the engraved surface of said roller, conducting means communicating with the interior of said engraved roller for supplying a continuous flow of a cooling medium thereto, a hollow platen roller adapted to press the material from its opposite side into printing and gofl'ering contact with said engraved roller, and conducting means for supplying a continuous flow of a heating medium to said platen roller.

6. The method of printing a material consisting in progressively pressing the face side thereof against a rotary engraved and inked printing roller, applying heat to the back of the material at the portion of contact with said roller todraw and set the ink in said material and conducting heat away from said roller to maintain the latter relatively cool and thereby prevent injuriously afiecting the ink on sald roll,

WILLIAM F. ROEHLEN. 

